Guest Feature - Leon Düllberg

The Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park is the largest national park between the North Cape and Sicily. It is home to more than 10,000 different species and offers protection for numerous native seabirds that use the extensive salt marshes as breeding grounds. Nowhere else in the world has a more diverse landscape developed through the influence of the tides. Despite its designation as a national park and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wadden Sea is exposed to numerous threats. Above all, overuse and the consequences of global warming are damaging many animal and plant species and leading to drastic changes within the ecosystems.

The work “Wadden Sea” shows the people who research these changes and are committed to preserving the unique flora and fauna in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park.

Leon Düllberg is a portrait and documentary photographer from northern Germany. Currently he is finishing his photography studies at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. His work is focused on the relationship between people and their environment and sets a particular focus on ecological issues. This is also the case with his current work “Im Watt”, which deals with the influence of global warming on the local ecosystems in the Wadden Sea National Park in northern Germany

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MAP6 Return to Italy

The MAP6 Collective are delighted to share the news that we will soon be returning to Italy to continue our latest body of work. We are currently organising the second part of the project with the intention of exhibiting and publishing the work. For the project we have been exploring the landscape of the Veneto Valley, a region in Italy centred around its capital of Venice. This is the first project where we have worked solely within a specific region of a country. We have also been working closely with project partners Urbanautica, Lab27 and The Benetton Foundation and look forward to continuing our collaboration together. Although at this time we can’t share any of the work we have made, below are some behind the scenes images of us making and editing work. More news will be coming soon…

Aaron Yeandle - Upcoming Exhibition

MAP6 photographer Aaron Yeandle is currently working on a large-scale African Community project which is supported by Art for Guernsey and will be exhibited in their art Gallery at the beginning of June 2024. The African Guernsey Photographic project is intended to be a positive reflection, of our ever-changing communities. This photographic project aims to bring positive awareness and celebrate the diversity of the African community and cultures, which plays a large part in Guernsey’s society. This body of work is a social heritage project, which will become a photographic archival record, of the ever-changing fleeting moments of our social history. The African Community project comprises of intimate portraits, of people from many different African countries who now live and work in Guernsey. Its essence lies in the imperative to shine a beacon of positive awareness upon the vibrant African communities, now flourishing within Guernsey. Furthermore, to appreciate and celebrate the rich cultures and heritage that the individuals bring from their respective African homelands. It is a source of immense pride for us to undertake this compelling photographic project and exhibition. One that brings together Guernsey and the African communities. Photography, as a medium, wields the remarkable power to unite. It harmoniously weaves the intricate threads of our ever-evolving social fabric. Over the years, Aaron has embarked on a significant photographic journey, delving into the intricate tapestry of Guernsey’s social history and heritage. However, his latest body of work holds a deeply personal resonance. It stands as an artistic testament to the profound importance it bears, not just for Aaron, but for both the Guernsey and African communities involved.

People from all over Africa are invited to participate in the African Community Project. It would be wonderful if you or your family and friends would be interested in taking part in this unique and historical event and have your portrait taken for the forthcoming, exhibition. Aaron is still looking for volunteers, so if you are interested in finding out more about the African Guernsey Community Photography Project, please contact him via email: aaronyeandle@gmai.com

Paul Walsh - New Project

For the past two years MAP6 photographer Paul Walsh has been working on a new series called ‘A Point in Time’.


”Since relocating to the region of Suffolk in England, I’ve been repeatedly walking this small stretch of coastline. It’s a place that I initially discovered ten years ago, when I walked the Suffolk Coastal Path, and since then have come to know intimately. When I first passed through here I remember the area had a profoundly melancholic effect on me, yet I wasn’t quite sure why. So I vowed to return to try to understand it, form some kind of connection with the place and make work. So for the past two years I’ve been observing and capturing the subtle changes in the landscape. I’ve been interested in capturing life cycles and smaller signs of the origins of life, amidst the dark rivers and rock pools that are found within the marshes leading down to the sea. The land here is a mosaic of gentle land form that is shaped by water in a slow but ceaseless passage of time.”

With each new project I start by thinking how I can approach it through walking. Usually I find myself walking between two separate points, A to B, a beginning and end of a linear journey. With this series it was about walking the same, small stretch of coastline over and over, back and forth, to observe and document the changes that were taking place.

Paul will finish working on the series in early 2024, before shaping an edit of the work. You can keep updated on the project and see more of Paul’s work on his website here.

Guest Feature - Dunstan Baker

In Architecture of the Outer Hebrides, Dunstan Baker is in the early stages of an exploration of the predominantly utilitarian architecture of the Outer Hebrides. For the project he has an interest in whether and how the apparent egalitarian nature of buildings engenders a sense of community cohesion.

Dunstan Baker studied Documentary Photography at University of Wales, Newport – BA (Hons), 1998–2001 – before working as a graphic designer in the publishing and advertising industries. In 2008 he launched a fine art reproduction and exhibition printing company based in Bristol, working with a large and varied stable of artists and publishers, dedicated to producing highest-quality work. Alongside this he continued his photographic practice, and designed and produced a number of books – most notably for Pimpernel Press, a London-based horticultural publisher, twice winning Sunday Times Gardening Book of the Year with books written by Isabel & Julian Bannerman. He closed the print studio in 2019 to focus on combining his two great interests: photography and architecture.

greygray.co.uk

Guest Feature - Mouli Paul

Upon returning home after a year of studying in England, I developed a curiosity to explore and document my hometown - the intimacies, the mystique in the mundane, the people, and the textures that defined the place for what it is. It had always been beautiful yet home needs to accept me for me to love back. In my 10 years of being a photographer, I never felt like documenting my family and my hometown. It was almost like a light bulb moment when I met my father after a year. This place was rapidly changing and I wanted to capture it before everything changed. I observed how the environment and the spaces inhabited were a container for so much - shared histories, friendships, stories of the Bangladesh partition, triumphs, and tragedies. I did travel back home now and then but never stayed beyond a week.

This is a continuation of the project 'Textures of Belonging', a work about making and activating memories of home and using photography to bring out the diaspora voices, the “non-belonging others” who are trying to find a sense of belonging in an alienated space. Strongly drawing on the notions of home and belonging, my search was about the idea of home. Coming back, I realized that I was born right here, in this sleepy little town of West Bengal, away from the highly pretentious city life. Surprising as it might sound, even after living in cities for over two decades, I could never feel as if I belonged there, similar to what my mother had experienced. I kept looking for those connections and emotions everywhere I went only to find them back here. This is my way of representing this re-connection with home.

Mouli Paul is a photographer from India who recently finished studying an MA in Photography from Arts University Plymouth. Her work revolves around notions of home and belonging, family archives, and mental health bordering between documentary and fine art. She has recently started working through the process of analog which allows her to slow down, the opposite of what she does with her commercial photography.

moulipaul.com

Portraits of Intimacy

We are delighted to announce that MAP6 members Leia Ankers and Heather Shuker have been shortlisted for Portraits of Intimacy for The Kuala Lumpur International Photoawards. The KLPA is an annual global portrait photography prize seeking the very best and fresh entries from photographers. Initiated in 2009, KLPA is recognised as a significant and vital award in the photography calendar, supporting and rewarding contemporary portraiture practice especially in the South East Asian region. 

Heather’s finalist image 

From the series Kolonko about young sex workers in a safe house in Sierra Leone. 

I met with the girls inside the safe house.  The girls range from just 12 years old to mid 20s orphaned from the Ebola outbreak in 2014-15. Each girl spoke about experiences on the street and their fears and about their hopes and dreams for the future. The portraits are intentionally dark and show just a glimpse of each girl to conceal their identity. This was not requested, however, it was my chosen approach. All the portraits were also made within the two dark and tiny rooms where up to 20 girls will bed down for some sleep in between working on the streets, going to school and sharing chores within the safe house. The darkness is part of the girls’ life both at night and sleeping in the dark tiny room away from the sunlight of the day.

You can see more of the project on Heather’s website

Leia’s finalist image 

This portrait from my series ‘The Same As You’ which was instigated and informed from having a disability myself as I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 3. When I hit my teens, this had a substantial impact; I felt quite secluded when I began secondary school as each year I would be off school for a long period of time after my operations. These personal differences from a young age introduced me to the experience of stigma, of being the ‘Other’ and as I got older I decided I wanted to take this into my photographic work. I wanted to change the way that people with dual sensory impairment and additional disabilities are perceived by society. This is how ‘The Same As You’ began. I met Cordelia through Birgit who is a friend of my mothers. Birgit is Cordelia’s carer and as a result of their closeness and bond, I was also able to build a connection and relationship with her. Cordelia is blind in one eye, deaf and has cerebral palsy. Cordelia’s independence is easiest achieved in water as she can move alone without the support of her wheelchair. The hydrotherapy pool is Cordelia’s place of freedom and this is the reason why her portrait took place there; it portrays her personality and allows her to be seen how she wants to be.

You can see more of the project on Leia’s website

You can view the Portraits of Intimacy Finalist Gallery here

The exhibition of Portraits of Intimacy will be shown at Exposure + Photo Festival in Kuala Lumpur. The exhibition starts on the 16 September - 01 October at Temu House

New MAP6 Project

The MAP6 Collective are very excited to embark on our next project at the start of June 2023. We will be exploring the landscape of the Veneto Valley, a region in Italy centred around its capital of Venice. This is the first project where the MAP6 Collective have worked within a specific region of a country. We will also be working with project partners Urbanautica and Lab27, more news coming very soon…

Richard Chivers Exhibition

Richard Chivers: OFF-Grid
Gareth Gardner Gallery
Enclave 10, 50 Resolution Way
London SE8 4AL

16 June–02 July. Please check nearer the time and on social media for opening times.

Soundtrack to the exhibition by DJ/Mucic maker Solomon Onyemere.

PRIVATE VIEW 15 JUNE 2023, 6PM–9PM. RSVP HERE.

Part of London Festival of Architecture 2023.

Since the Victorian era, circular gas holders became commonplace industrial icons on our urban skylines. The design of vast telescoping tanks to store coal (town) gas was at the vanguard of civil engineering. They represented a modernising Britain, and for three decades after World War II were visible icons of our nationalised utilities, metal symbols for a vital infrastructure held in common for the public good.

In 1965, North Sea natural gas was discovered. The UK supply network was converted from coal gas, and gas holders were only required for additional storage. As network capacity grew, gas holder utilisation dwindled.

By the 1990s they were redundant; widespread dismantling of the metal giants began in 2000.

MAP6 photographer Richard Chivers has spent eight years capturing these iconic structures before they disappear.

Many have distinctive and intricate designs, each slightly different. Although defunct, those remaining continue to act as prominent landmarks, provoking a debate about their preservation and reuse. They are a reminder of our industrial heritage, a communal architectural experience that provokes awe in a way that few other structures inspire.

New Publication and Book Launch

MAP6 are delighted to share our new publication WALES: The Landscape Project. The work explores different aspects of the Welsh landscape, where nine photographers collaborated as pairs, plus one set of three, making images and joint editorial decisions together. The results are four succinct, photographic responses in zine form inspired by the distinctive landscape and character of Wales. The publication packages all four 40 pp zines within a belly band, with an accompanying text card. For this publication we had the opportunity to work with Iain Sarjeant from Another Place Press. We commissioned Iain to bring his unique vision and expertise to further help sequence and layout the zines, adding another form of collaboration to the project. The publication is a limited edition of 50, and we are already down to our last few, so thank you to everyone who has already purchased a copy.

We launched the publication on Saturday 22/4 at The Photobook Cafe in Shoreditch, London. It was a fun evening in a packed venue, thanks to everyone that came along. Thanks also to Dilly Thain, Specialist Sales Assistant at The Photographers' Gallery bookshop responsible for the zine/small press section, for chairing a conversation about the work and benefits of zine making over traditional photobook publishing. Another thanks to Matt Martin and the guys at TPC for being brilliant hosts and putting on the event. If you get a chance and your in London, why not pop in to The Photobook cafe, its a fab place with a wonderful selection of Photobooks. You can also see WALES: The Landscape Project on display.

Guest Feature - Ralph Steinegger

In the early morning light, lone figures are standing along rivers and canals, under bridges and highways, dwarfed by rows of residential towers and construction sites. In the midst of a built environment meant to liberate men from the constraints of nature, they cast their rods in silence. Standing still, as to be almost indiscernible, they seem oblivious of their surroundings and solely remain focused on the small stretch of water in front of them. We see them in the most unexpected places, finding personal space against the odds, and quietly waiting for their line to tighten. 

Ralph Steinegger (b. 1976) has lived in Beijing, New York, Istanbul, Singapore and now Shanghai. He is using his analogue cameras to document mostly cities and show their contradictions, hidden sides, and poetry. 

ralphsteinegger.com

The Photographers Gallery Takeover

Last weekend MAP6 were delighted to take over The Photographers Gallery Instagram feed. ⁠You can check out the new work we shared, and we’d be delighted to hear your comments and feedback.Visit the TPG IG feed here

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Guest Feature - Gleb Simonov

What do we do if a theory of landscape necessitates a theory of everything? Accumulating data breeds new specialties, but adds to the fragmentation — while one's relationship with the land is inherently personal. Landscape is something walked — a sense of intimacy mixed up with logistics. In the end, what we carry out is perhaps gratitude, and a sense of non-human.

This, Promised was shot in the Norwegian arctic over a period of complete seasonal change from the end of the polar day to the beginning of polar night. It focuses on places along the edges of structured land — roads, farms, national borders, the local fishing and mining industry, archeological sites and natural preserves — and covers the municipalities of Sør-Varanger, Vadsø, Vardø, Nesseby and Båtsfjord.

Gleb Simonov is a poet and photographer, born in Russia in 1986 and currently based in New York. He is a winner of Urbanautica Award for 2021, his work has been featured in “Observations in the Ordinary” collection by Subjectively Objective, and several photography magazines, such as Float, PHROOM, Phases, Analog magazine and others.

glebsimonov.com

MAP6 at The Photobook Cafe

The MAP6 Collective will be presenting our latest project and publication WALES: The Landscape Project on Saturday 22 April at the Photobookcafe. We will explore the process of collaboration and experimenting as a photographic collective, and what this brings to the creative process in the form of a new publication. There will be a short introductory talk and then a conversation with Dilly Thain, Specialist Sales Assistant at The Photographers' Gallery. The evening runs from 6-9pm and the talk will start at 7pm. There will be a slideshow of the work, with plenty of time for discussion and socialising throughout the evening. Copies of our new publication and previous books will be available to purchase. Please come and support us!

WALES: The Landscape Project explores different aspects of the Welsh landscape: 9 photographers worked as pairs, plus one set of three, making images and joint editorial decisions together. Each group responded experimentally and personally to their chosen theme which involved making images in the same location or coming together at the end to create a joint narrative through editing and sequencing. The results are four succinct, photographic responses inspired by the distinctive landscape and character of Wales.

You can reserve a free ticket for the event here and find out more about the Photobookcafe here

FORMAT Photobook Exhibition

MAP6 are delighted to have our book Finland: The Happiness Project on show as part of Format Festival’s Photobook Exhibition. The Photobook Market and Photobook Exhibition are a part of FORMAT23 and will take place in Derby during the festival’s opening weekend. 

Alongside the FORMAT Photobook Market, which will include a space for selling/buying, presenting and signing books, there is the FORMAT Photobook Exhibition which aims to show the development of the photobook and its challenges and opportunities in this digital age. Various books, including independent and commercial, handmade as well as self-published, will be displayed in a ‘reading room’ space for the duration of the festival. 

The three-day event, will take place between Friday 16 and Sunday 19 March at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery. You can find out more on the Format Festival website here.

Aaron Yeandle Selected for POH

MAP6 photographer Aaron Yeandle is selected as a Portrait of Humanity winner!

Now in its fifth edition, the Portrait of Humanity award by 1854 and the British Journal of Photography returns once more to celebrate that which unites us in a time of division.

With the importance of our shared sense of humanity seemingly never more crucial than now. The fifth edition of the British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Humanity, features 200 portraits from international photographers, selected from thousands of entries. Provides a window into the lives of their subjects and celebrates the shared humanity that connects us all. This is the backdrop for the fifth edition of Portrait of Humanity, with photographers capturing the faces of this changing world. Volume 5 brings together portraits from artists from around the world, published in a book by Hoxton Mini Press and The British Journal of Photography. 

The portrait and the PPE-19 project were produced in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. At this time images of medical staff in hazmat suits inundated the media, making many of us feel anxious and frightened. This situation sparked a global Personal Protective Equipment mask shortage, due to a need by health services and people outside of the medical profession. Humans have been wearing masks for a millennium, they are truly ingrained in our primal psyche and are deeply rooted in folklore and our contemporary culture. During the Bubonic plague epidemic that swept through Europe. Plague Doctors who treated the infected wore Personal Protective Equipment to protect them from infections. This menacing suit typically consisted of animal-like masks. The PPE-19 project delves into the past and the present of PPE, from bubonic plague costumes to modern-day hazmat masks. The portrait was produced in the limitations of my apartment during the pandemic lockdown.

You can find out more about the Portrait of Humanity here

Guest Feature - Pau Poveda

I spent last summer in West Virginia. This is a project to try to manifest what I discovered in this rural state. I was trying to find a different idea about the USA, and open my mind to it with photographs, capturing the atmosphere that you feel in this magical land.

Now 21, Pau Poveda has been taking photographs since he was 15. At the age of 17 he bought his first reflex and he started to discover, what he calls the world behind the world. He has kept photographing and started to travel to discover more of this hidden world. 

paupoveda

Leia Ankers Selected for IPE & POB


Leia Ankers image ‘Cordelia’ has been shortlisted for the Royal Photographic Society International Photography Exhibition 164!. You can read more about the award here.

Furthermore, Leia has also been selected to have her Portrait of ‘Michelle’ shortlisted for this year’s Portrait of Britain award by The British Journal of Photography. Her portrait will be featured in the Portrait of Britain Vol.5 Book which is published by Hoxton Mini Press. You can read more here.

Heather Shuker POB Winner

MAP6 Photographer Heather Shuker is selected as a Portrait of Britain winner!

Heather Shuker - Owensfield, the Gower Peninsula

These identical twins live in a small off-grid community near Swansea. They feel the need to be together in their self-sufficient universe, and describe their ramshackle house in the woods as ‘heartwarming and spiritual’.

“Portrait of Britain returns this year with images that define contemporary life in Britain. Alongside the many events that have shaped 2022 – the outbreak of war, record-high inflation, soaring temperatures, and the death of the Queen, to name a few.

This year’s winners provide a snapshot of a frenzied year through 99 compelling portraits. Designed to illustrate the diversity of life in modern Britain, the award invites us to reflect on the multiplicity of voices and stories across the country, forming a precious historical record of British life. 

The winning portraits, selected by a panel of industry-leading judges, are now part of the UK’s biggest annual photography exhibition — a month-long digital screen display in partnership with JCDecaux. The winners of the award will also be featured in a hardback book featuring 200 shortlisted images, published by Hoxton Mini Press.”

You can read more about Portrait of Britain here